


HMK Nonsuch

by sanguinity



Series: His Majesty's Kraken [4]
Category: Hornblower - C. S. Forester
Genre: Alternate Universe - Kraken, First Meetings, Other, Tentacles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-30 23:06:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21436177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanguinity/pseuds/sanguinity
Summary: Bush loved Nonsuch before he ever set eyes on her.
Relationships: William Bush/Nonsuch
Series: His Majesty's Kraken [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1316720
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	HMK Nonsuch

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published at [hmsloop-hotspur](https://hmsloop-hotspur.dreamwidth.org/3457.html).

As anyone who knew him could have foretold, Bush loved _Nonsuch_ before he ever set eyes on her. A command of his own, entrusted to him and no other, _Nonsuch_ could have been the ugliest and least desirable ship on the Downs and yet Bush would have found some point of hers to love. That she was gracefully built and a brave fighter was not the source of his affection, but added a certain sweetness to it.

_Nonsuch,_ for her part, was more reserved on their first meeting. A lady of mature years, long past her second moulting, she had been captained by her share of asses and fools during her years in the Service, and was not greatly impressed by a pair of pretty epaulettes. (Or in Captain Bush's case: one. It was moderately interesting to be assigned so new a captain, but for him to receive a seventy-four so early in his captaincy spoke more of his patronage than his worth.) She behaved with perfect decorum during his piping-aboard and reading-in; it was only his unusual gait across her deck that caused her to reach out with a curious tentacle to examine him more closely.

Bush stood quietly for her inspection, stroking her tentacle and murmuring his pleasure at meeting her; she was more business-like, tasting him briefly before withdrawing in puzzlement. He was a creature of wood and flesh, as she was. She had not known men could be made so.

All that first day, she stayed near, a tentacle two steps beyond Bush's reach, apparently as disinterested as a cat.

Bush only grinned, and like any good lover, set himself to wooing her.


End file.
